Belmond Britannic Explorer
The Belmond Britannic Explorer is a luxury sleeper train, launched in the United Kingdom in July 2025.[1] It's based on the rolling stock of the former luxury train Belmond Grand Hibernian, which used to run in Ireland and Northern Ireland between 2016 and 2019.
Precedessor train
[edit]The Belmond Grand Hibernian was officially launched on 30 August 2016. On 18 February 2021 the ceasing of the operation was announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The train had last run on 14 October 2019 and was suspended for all of 2020 owing to the pandemic.
The carriages have left Ireland in 2022, and stored within Great Britain.
Journeys
[edit]Three destinations are currently provided, starting always from London Victoria. The three-night journeys feature Cornwall, Wales and the Lake District, including the possibility of combining two of them into six-night journeys.[3] A fourth route is scheduled for 2026.[4]
Rolling stock
[edit]Carriages
[edit]The train consists ten Irish Mark 3 carriages, originally built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Derby Litchurch Lane Works for Córas Iompair Éireann between 1980 and 1989, and withdrawn in 2009. The initial refurbishment was done by Assenta Rail, and the layout of the carriages were mainly kept also during the second refit for this train. However, one sleeping car was remodeled with Grand Suite compartments - a comfort class featured also in Belmond's other overnight luxury trains Royal Scotsman and Venice Simplon-Orient-Express - and in another one a compartment for spa treatments of the British wellbeing brand Wildsmith.[5]
| Carriage number | Former CIÉ number | Former Grand Hibernian number and name | Layout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99110 | 7104 | 55 60 89-87 103-7
Kildare |
Observation and bar car |
| 99109 | 7169 | 55 60 88-87 102-0
Wexford |
24-seat dining car |
| 99108 | 7171 | 55 60 88-87 101-2
Sligo |
20-seat dining car. |
| 99107 | 7137 | 55 60 76-87 005-2
Kerry |
A spa room, and three cabins in double and twin layouts, one of them PRM-accessible |
| 99106 | 7149 | 55 60 76-87 004-4
Down |
Four cabins in double and twin layouts |
| 99105 | 7129 | 55 60 76-87 003-8
Waterford |
Four cabins in double and twin layouts |
| 99104 | 7158 | 55 60 76-87 002-6
Leitrim |
Four cabins in double and twin layouts |
| 99103 | 7116 | 55 60 76-87 001-8
Fermanagh |
Three grand suites |
| 99102 | 7130 | 55 60 89-87 110-2
Donegal |
Staff sleeping car |
| 99101 | 7601 | 55 60 99-87 104-3
Carlow |
Generator car |
Locomotives
[edit]For haulage of the train GB Railfreight's Class 66 No. 66748 was repainted into the carriages' livery.
In July 2025 Belmond and GBRf have agreed, to use from 2027 the Class 99 dual-mode locomotives for sustainability reasons.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ https://www.timeout.com/uk/news/a-new-16-000-train-trip-will-soon-launch-from-london-to-wales-070925
- ^ "Ireland's only luxury sleeper train derailed by Covid-19". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Inside the Britannic Explorer: New luxury sleeper train coming to England and Wales in July". The Independent. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Britannic Explorer to be hauled by GB Railfreight Class 99s". International Railway Gazette. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ^ "New Belmond Train Will Include First-of-Its-Kind Wellness Suite". Hospitality Design. 10 March 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.